Hello Readers, my name is Wendy. I am a happily married mother of two young ladies. Together with my husband we are living an abundant life through growing some of our own vegetables and fruit, cooking and baking everything from scratch and being mindful of what we use and buy.
God has blessed us abundantly. We try to be good stewards of those blessings.

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Saturday, 31 January 2015

Being frugal and wise with what you have can bring many benefits to your life. For me personally it means that I don't have to work full time. My dollar stretches a long way and that makes me feel good as I know I'm being a good steward of what God has given me. My week can vary with different tasks. Some weeks I'm cooking and baking by the truck load and other weeks I'm sewing, mending and diluting shampoo and conditioner.

Here's what I got up to this week -

* Made some brown sugar .

* Made ten jars of tomato relish. Tomatoes have been cheap to buy at 99 cents a kilo so I'm trying to make the most of it. We are growing tomatoes but we are never sure how well they'll grow.

* Made eight jars of peach jam with peaches bought at $1.99 a kilo.

* Dried all the washing on the line or clothes horses.

* Ate leftovers for a lunch and dinner one night as they couldn't be frozen.

* Picked corn, tomatoes, beans, peaches and raspberries.

* Used the water from the last load of washing to water some garden plants.

* Kept the heater and cooling off all week.

* Made four meals of spag bol sauce at the same time and froze into meal sizes.

* After making the spag bol sauce, I portioned the leftover tomato paste into an ice cube tray and froze. This eliminates any waste.

* Defrosted our small freezer and sorted out all the freezers. I try to do this a few times a year so that I know what I have on hand. I only threw out some old bread and fed some to the chooks.

* Made soup with a frozen Christmas ham bone, carrots, corn and potato. I didn't think there was any meat left on the bone but the soup was enough for two main meals.

* Made a batch of double strength Miracle Spray. When I decant it into spray bottles I dilute it then.

* Mended and altered some clothes Jessica gave me.

* Made a scarf from a top I no longer wear. It's in apple green my favourite color so I couldn't donate it.

Thursday, 29 January 2015

Having a menu plan is a great way to save lots of time and money. It eliminates meal time stress and gives you a chance to plan ahead. Over the last month I've been a little slack with my menu plan. For a few weeks I didn't have one as such but I always have a fully stocked pantry, fridge and freezers. It was no big deal as such as we didn't spend any extra money. It just felt a little weird not having a plan.

Tuesday, 27 January 2015

This tuna casserole is an old family favourite. My Mum has been cooking this for her family as long as I can remember.

You might remember seeing a cupboard full of tinned food on A Current Affair when they filmed my family's story on 23rd June 2014.. So many people thought we only eat tinned food. Nothing could be further from the truth but this recipe does require three tins. Like most recipes on our menu, we only eat it once a month and we all look forward to eating it.

1 425 gram tin of tuna in brine

1 tin of celery soup

1 tin of creamed corn

3 tablespoons of rice – cooked

½ cup of grated cheese

1 celery stalk chopped finely

½ tablespoon of dried onion flakes

1 teaspoon of dried chives

Salt,pepper and garlic to taste

3 cups of corn flakes

60 grams of butter – melted

Mix the corn flakes and melted butter together in a large bowl

Mix all other ingredients together in another large bowl then pour into a casserole dish.Top with corn flakes and cook in an oven for approx one hour at 180 c until the centre is hot.Serve with vegies or crusty bread on the side.Serves 4 – 5 people . Freezes well

Saturday, 24 January 2015

This week has been a very productive week in the Gower house. The New Year has bought on the urge to declutter. We are not hoarders by any means but it's good to go through the cupboards and wardrobes to sort out what can't be used any more.

We've received many food blessings this week and I've also tried to make the most of my time in the kitchen. Here's this week's frugal list -

* Saved the warm up water from the shower and poured it into the washing machine. We've had so much rain lately and mild weather that the water was better used for washing.

* Froze some leftovers from a chicken curry I made..

* We were blessed with loaves of bread, eggs, sandwiches, wraps, spinach, bread rolls, plums and a vegetable frittata.

* Darren bought discounted cream in the supermarket. One had a few days to go and the other needs to be used by February.

* Picked beans, strawberries, silver beet, peaches ( very small ) and a handful of tomatoes.

* Donated four bags to Savers and received more discount stamps for future purchases.

* Made five jars of plum jam with free plums.

* Made a big pot of vegetable soup using lots of zucchini from our garden.

* Made eight jars of tomato relish with tomatoes that cost 99 cent a kilo.

* Made double recipes of potato salad and pasta salad. Megan requested these for her birthday dinner on Tuesday.with other salad items. We ate the rest of the salads the next night. YAY, no cooking that night.

* Made Anzac biscuits and a double batch of white chocolate and raspberry muffins. The muffins were frozen for lunchboxes.

* I helped clean up after a big lunch function and came home with bottles of soft drink, a bottle of orange juice, bottles of water, bread rolls, scones, jam, cream, pavlova, fruit salad, coleslaw, salad, and flavoured rice. All of these wonderful blessings came in large quantities Some of the soft drink we had with meals. The rest will be turned into icy poles. The water came in large bottles and I'd poured leftover amounts into the four bottles I bought home. I used the water to water all my fruit trees.
The scones were frozen for future occasions. The fruit salad was used in smoothies. The rice was frozen into single serves. The rest of the food was eaten for our main meal over two nights.

We are so grateful to be given all this food.

* I've started using the recycled bread bags as bin liners - YAY !! I needed to cut down the side of the bag a bit so I could fold it over the outside of the bin. as the opening of the bin was too big for the bags..

Thursday, 22 January 2015

Starting the school year can be stressful, expensive and tiring With a little planning you can breeze through January and February with ease and enjoy the moment your children walk thorugh the school gate.

My girls are nearing the end of their high school education with Jessica starting Year 12 and Megan starting Year !0. We've been able to buy everything they NEED on our small budget. I thought I'd pass on all my school savings tips to help other Mums and Dads.

SCHOOL BOOKS -

* If your child's school gives you a booklist, go to the book shop yourself to buy the books. Ordering online for school pickup or home delivery adds extra costs.

* Buying from the book shop gives you a chance to see what the items look like. For example we've found the pencil cases on the booklist are a bit expnsive and very poor quality. You'll end up buying 2 or 3 of these throughout the year as they don't last.

* When buying books from a school book shop, pick out one child's books at a time. This will avoid confusion.

* Take your booklist on a clipboard and tick off items as you place them in the basket.

* Go to the department store stationery sales for paper, folders and pencil case items. If the booklist say to buy a four ring folder, get the two ring. It still does the job and is a fraction of the price.

* Check the online school book shop called Sustainable School Shop. This shop sells seondhand school books from all over Australia at very good prices. Ask your school to promote this site as they get a small percentage of sales from the website owners ( not from your sales ) It's free to look at what's being sold but if you want to sell your own books you pay $19.95 for a year's subscription which gives you access to the whole website and everyone's buy or sell ads. Some years I've been able to sell so many books that it almost covers the cost of the new books I need to buy.

Start looking on this website early in December as some like to sell their books as soon as the school year finishes.

* Do a swap or buy / sell with your friends. I have a cleaning client who has two children aged one year younger than each of my girls. When Jessica finishes with one book I sell it to my friend. When her child has finished with it she gives it back to me for Megan. When Megan has finished with it I give it back for her son. This works well for novels and means we only buy the book once each and can sell it if the next child doesn't need it. It's always a bit of a gamble holding on to books in the hope it's still on the booklist by the time a younger child gets to that level. Booklists can change from year to year..

STATIONERY -

* Check to see what your child has leftover from last year. Sometimes they don't use all the erasers, pens and grey leads. I've found as my girls get older they hardly use colored pencils and other stationery, yet the booklist says we need to buy more. I get them to go through what they already have to see if it can be reused.

* Folders can be wiped down with metho and reused providing it's still in good condition.

* As I said above, buy all stationery from the department store sales. If they are good prices buy a few extra. If you run out during the year, they will not be n sale. Mid year tax time sales are not as good as back to school sales

* Expensive brands do not always mean the best quality. I go cheap on pencils, erasers, rulers, paper, folders, plastic sheets, binder books, scrap books, scissors, glue sticks ( for younger children ), basic calculaters and note pads. I buy better brands of textas as they last longer but I try to get them on sale.

* Check the supermarkets in February and March as they clear out their stationery to make way for the Easter eggs. I've found some amazing bargains there.

UNIFORMS -

* Check out the school's secondhand uniform shop for great bargains. Try to get in early or shop throughout the year as kids leave mid year and need to sell their uniforms.

* Plain school shirts, shorts, socks and hats can be bought at department stores at good prices. Buy a few extra and buy the next size up. These items are not available in term three and four.

* I buy my girl's school shoes from Big W. When Jessica started prep her feet were too small for department store shoes. So I bought them from a shoes shop paying big dollars. They didn't last the year and i had to get them repaired adding extra cost. Most of my friends buy the shoe shop shoes and over and over again I hear how they don't last the year.

Up until recently my girls have been wearing Grosby shoes. I'd wait until the January sales when they were half price at $15 a pair. They now sell for $30. My girls tastes have changed and we buy the $40 Big W shoes. If your children's feet are still growing, buy the next size up as you can't get school shoes in term three and four and you'll be stuck. If they don't use the next size up you'll have made a start on next year.

* Don't spend too much money on sneakers. Kids are hard on them and run through mud, water and dust. Try to buy sneakers without the mesh uppers. Water leaks through too much ruining the shoes.

* Buy a couple of hats. They are very easily lost.

* Buy school tights as soon as school wear is available in the stores and buy extras. They are not stocked all year round.

* Read the washing instructions on the uniform labels. Quite often it will say hand wash only. I've found that you can put these items in delicates bags and wash in the washing machine. Always wash uniforms with like colors to keep them looking nice. Dry them in the shade or hang in the shower.

FOOD FOR SCHOOL

* Do lots of baking ahead of time and freeze where possible. Muffins, cupcakes, slices and sandwiches can be frozen. On a Saturdays I used to make up my girls sandwiches for the week ahead and freeze. As they got older they helped me make them. Alway ask your children what they want in their sandwiches but make sure it's a balance of sweet and savouy. Cheese, cheese and vegemite, ham, sauce / relish, peanut butter, chocolate spread, honey and jam can all be frozen in sandwiches.

* Organise lunch boxes the night before. Snacks and whole fruit can be put in the lunch box. In the morning all you need to do is get a sandwich and drink bottle out of the fridge. I group together the items for each child on the fridge shelf.

* Cut up a few different fruits and place them in a container. Melons, grapes and apples work together. Your child is more likely to eat the fruit if it varies. One whole apple in the lunch box every day is not appealing to a child.

* Chips, muesli bars, prepackaged snacks, lollies and chocolate are occasional treats and not an everyday item. They certainly do not constitute a lunch. They are high in salt, sugar and preservatives, are VERY expensive and leave the children hungry. Try packing pieces of cheese and pita chips, homemade muesli bars / biscuits, homemade yoghurt, muffins, wraps with salad and salad boxes ( my girl's personal Summer favourite ).

* Especially in Summer make sure you pack an icebrick in the lunch box. Frozen water bottles can leak and are best separated in the school bag. I like to wrap a hand towel arround it to keep it cold longer.

* Water to drink is best. It rehydrates the body quicker than anything else on a hot day.

STARTING SCHOOL

* Make sure you label everything. It sounds obvious but you should see the pile of unmarked clothes and drink bottles in lost and found. Whether you use permanent markers, sticky labels, iron on tags, or engraving, make sure you label in a couple of places on each item. Check regulary that the label is still readable.

* Do a trial run with the uniform and make sure it all fits well. Get you child to wear the school shoes for a day to wear in a little. Label the school shoes.

* No mater what the school notice says, don't send every item of stationery to school on the first day / week or month. They don't need ten pens in one go. I've found that other kids help them selves to anyones stationery and you'll be left with nothing. I bag up extra stationery for my girls and place it in the top of their wardrobes. They help themselves when they need more.

* Unpack your child's school bag at the end of each day. This is where you;ll find the school notices and leftover food. Check that your child has bought home their own uniform.

Add the grated apples, water and lemon juice to the strawberries in the saucepan and slowly bring to the boil stirring occasionally. Cook for 10 minutes

Add the sugar in small batches while stirring. and bring to the boil again. Skim off any foam the forms on the top.

Cook until setting point is reached. Test this by placing a couple of teaspoons of jam on an icy cold saucer. Let it sit for five minutes and run your finger through the jam. If it wrinkles then setting point is reached.

Pour while hot into hot sterilised jars and seal immediately. Once cool, store in a cool, dark and dry place for up to one year.

This recipe makes just over 2 kg of jam.

NOTES -

* Frozen strawberries can be used. I blitz them in the food processor.

* Strawberries are low in pectin. This means the jam will set runny. The Granny Smith apples help to set it into a firmer jam.

* Jars must be made of glass and lids must be metal, clean and in good condition.

* To sterilise jars and lids, wash in hot soapy water and rinse clean. On an oven tray place a clean tea towel and turn the jars and lids upside down on the tray. Place them in the oven and turn it on to 110 degrees. When the oven reaches this temperature turn it off and let them sit in the oven for 10 minutes.

* Always sterilise more jars than what you think you'll need.

* Sterilise funnels, tongs, spoons and any other equipment that comes in contact with the jam when bottling it. I pour boiling water over them.

* If I can I like to use lids with the pop button. I know a true seal is made when the button pops down.

* Always wipe the jars down after you have filled them. Make sure there is no jam spilled on the top rim of the jar before you seal it.

* If you have smaller of larger quantities of strawberries, change the recipe accordingly.

Saturday, 17 January 2015

The cooler weather has allowed me to do more in the kitchen this week and my frugal list reflects this. I hope you were able to make the most of the milder weather too. We haven't had to water the vegetable garden in over a week. Here's my frugal list -

* Baked four loaves of wholemeal bread.

* Baked a whole orange cake with an orange from the freezer ( bought cheap )

* Dried all washing on clotheshorses and on the line.

* Refilled the shampoo and conditioner pump bottles. They were also diluted.

* Made some foaming hand wash for the kitchen with liquid hand soap I no longer use. I just love foaming hand soap as it doesn't leave a mess anywhere.

* Saved the rinse water from the final load of washing and watered the garden under the house eaves. Rain rarely gets under the back of the house so this saved water will help the plants.

* Bought eight bottles of shower gel at $1.99 a 500 gram bottle from Priceline. Thanks for letting me know Maureen. I can make foaming hand wash to my heart's content for many years to come. It's a lovely green color and will look ( and smell ) nice in my home.

* Sold one school text book and bought another one secondhand.

* Donated lots of bags of bits and pieces to the Savers op shop over a few days to get discount stamps.

Thursday, 15 January 2015

When Darren and I lost our jobs at the same time back in 2005 we were devastated, shocked and quite frightened of what the future held for us. Even through this hard time, we tried to focus on the positive things in our life. This included the things that made us happy. To this day, no matter what comes our way whether it be good or bad, we always look on the bright side of life.

Here's what makes me happy -

* My home. Although it is not a grand big home, it's clean, tidy, organised and comfortable. I just love spending time at home. I'm at peace there and no resort, shopping centre, restaurant, motel, event or outing can make me as happy as my home does.

* My cat or should I say " our cat ". After all, Princess is the family's cat. She loves to climb into the recliner chair with me at night for a snuggle, wash then sleep. When I'm on the computer she likes to smooch the computer cord, plonk herself on the ground and roll over for a tummy rub. She escorts me to the chicken coop, helps me in the garden and chases butterflies ( and the birdies ).

* Making my own things like jams, relish, brown sugar, laundry powder, sweetened condensed milk etc etc. The list could go on and on. I feel a great sense of achievement when I can make it myself and not rely on the supermarket to provide every little ingredient. It saves me a small fortune and saves the health of my family. What more could I ask for ?

Saturday, 10 January 2015

This week has seen extreme weather conditions, a family holiday and all the usual planning and packing that goes along with a trip away. Here's my smaller frugal list for the week -

* Made egg custard with the leftover eggs yolks from when Megan made a pavlova.

* When the weather was really hot I made a double batch of potato salad and pasta salad. This was enough for tea for two nights running with other things on the plate. By doing this I saved time and gas.

* Cut up a Christmas ham and froze most of it into portions for pizzas, sandwiches and other meals ( I'm not sure what else I'll use it for ).

* We've been on holidays this week at Phillip Island. We took all the ingredients for breakfasts and took homemade biscuits, fruit, eggs, cheese, salad ingredients. Spag bol sauce and meat from our freezer We saved a small fortune by taking as much food as possible with us. This allowed us money in our budget to eat out once as a treat.

* Darren found a cooked chicken in Coles at 50% off costing $6. We made this stretch for tea and lunch.

* I found my regular blusher at a discount shop in Cowes ( Phillip Island ). Their regular selling price was $4.95 which is a little cheaper than what I usually pay. They had 50% off so I bought three. When the lady put it through the register she charged me $5.25 for the three of them. The next day I went back and bought another three. I think I'm set for blusher for the next 5 - 7 years.

* Made use of the laundry facilities at the resort. This reduced the amount of washing I needed to do when we came home.

* When we were home we saved the warm up shower water to water a few plants.

* Converted a pair of older jeans into long shorts for myself. Cost - zero. .

Saturday, 3 January 2015

This week has been a very frugal week. Summer fruits have reduced in price and I'm making the most of it by making jam. There's nothing like the taste of homemade jam. With no artificial ingredients you can really taste the fruit. A jar of jam makes a great present either on it's own or combined with a bag homemade biscuits.

Here's my frugal list for the week -

* Saved the warm up water from the showers. This week we've had a bit of rain so the shower water was poured into the washing machine.

* Fed bread crusts to the chooks.

* Made one kilo of brown sugar.

* Made 11 1/2 jars of tomato relish. This was the first time I've made relish although I have tasted this recipe before and it's very yummy. Some of the jars will be sold to my cleaning client, some will be given as presents and the rest will be for us.

* Made one kilo of natural yoghurt. From this I made one kilo of vanilla yoghurt and froze 9 portions to use as a starter for more batches.

* Saved 12 bread bags from a couple of charity bbqs Darren organised. I've got so many of these bags I'm going to have to find another use for them other than scooping the kitty litter. I might try using them as bin liners in the bathrooms.

* Made 8 jars of strawberry and apple jam.

* Had the heater off all week nnd the cooling off for most of the week.

* Pushed up the retractable part of my Avon eyeliner to get another four weeks worth of use. So much of the eyeliner sits down below the plastic holder. I just pull it apart, pull it up and bend the holder so it doesn't slip down. Then I assemble it again.

* We had silverside for tea on Tuesday. I cooked it, cooled it and sliced it thinly to go with salad. There was enough leftovers for tea for all of us the next night.

* Made 10 jars of apricot jam with fruit bought on clearance at $1.49 kg.

* Made 9 1/2 jars of peach jam with fruit bought on clearance at $1 kg. The peaches and apricots were bought at about 9pm from my local fruit and veg shop. All stone fruit and cut fruit was 1/2 price. Bargain.

* Picked and froze strawberries from our garden. When I have enough I'll make some more jam.

* Picked and froze beans from our garden.

* Kept the curtains closed on the hot days. We didn't need to turn the cooling on until well after lunch.

* Our homemade takeaway food this week was hamburgers with wedges and pizza made on ciabatta bread. The rolls and bread were given to us. What a blessing !!! We are so grateful.